1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a fire safety system for use in large, high occupancy buildings such as hotels and office buildings, and particularly this invention relates to a fire safety system for a multi-story building.
Advances in microelectronic technology have made it possible to include a considerable amount of data handling and processing capability at sites remote from a central processing unit. Moreover, advances have made it possible to economically synthesize speech, which capability can be used for giving precise audible instructions under machine control. There is a need to provide fire sensing, signal processing and precise alarm distribution in large, high occupancy buildings in the event of fire or other building emergencies. Centrally controlled systems are subject to breakdown and failure since so much of the information must be communicated to a central station for processing before alarms can be issued to instruct building occupants. This lack of guidance and reliance on central control to issue alarms has in the past and may in the future result in unnecessary injury and death because of human misinterpretation of alarm signals. What is needed is a fire alarm system which is capable of responding effectively to locally sensed emergency situations and of communicating precise instructions related to an the nature of emergency situation to building occupants as well as to a central station without required intervention of the central station.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various centrally controlled alarm systems are known. For example one such alarm system is marketed under the Honeywell trademark by Minneapolis Honeywell of Minneapolis, Minn. Paging and intercom systems are also in use. However, the lack of adequate training for control personnel, the lack of adequate situation monitoring equipment and the lack of personnel availability at critical times limits the usefulness of such systems.